To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-415 by Susan Deacon on 20 July, whether the current local outpatient waiting time guarantees for a first outpatient appointment following a general medical practitioner referral, are minimum, maximum or average times.

The local waiting time guarantees for a first outpatient appointment are the maximum length of time that a patient should expect to wait for an appointment with a Consultant following referral by a General Medical Practitioner.